Epic Games To Bring Free Game Giveaways to Mobile Store To Tempt Players Away from Google, Apple

[Cpt.Jank]

The Epic Games free weekly game giveaways have been an easy way for PC gamers to pad out their game library with aging games and help Epic Games draw gamers to its store, which is commonly thought to be inferior to the likes of Steam due to a lack of features. Now Epic Games is bringing that same free game giveaway program to its mobile storefront for iOS (in the EU, at least) and Android.

Announced at a round table discussion at the Seattle Unreal Fest earlier this week, the free mobile game giveaway will launch in Q4, 2024, and the publisher will add third-party apps to its mobile store at the same time. Epic Games Store's general manager, Steve Allison, who announced the program, was pretty up-front about Epic's intentions with the game giveaway: "The free games program will launch in Q4 along with the [first] third-party apps showing up, and we're gonna have some awesome stuff for players that will also be awesome for developers because it'll help us scale really quickly."


While many of the games featured in the Epic Games weekly free game giveaway have been obscure indie titles, there have been a fair few AAA standouts, like Control, Borderlands 3, and the Tomb Raider trilogy. While the free game giveaways are undoubtedly going to be an interesting addition for gamers, the introduction of third-party developers is arguably more important for the health of the Epic Games Store in the long run, especially if the store wants to be profitable. Epic's other announcements at the Unreal Fest this past week are also indicative of its future plans for the Epic Games Store, with new discount deals and Unreal Engine collaborations incentivizing developers to publish their games on the Epic Games Store first or at the same time as on other platforms.

Epic says it will have "between 10 and 50" third-party applications on its mobile store before the holiday season, although there are still some unfinished features, like payments systems, that may require some of these apps and games to be delayed. The Epic Games Store has faced a rather public uphill battle for profitability, with Epic having recently had to resort to laying off over 800 employees due to overspending. Epic isn't likely to have a much easier time launching a mobile storefront this late in the game, especially since that storefront is only available on iOS in the EU, leaving only Android for the US—the world's second-largest video game market and the country with the highest number of iPhone users.

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[Chaitanya]

All the while they are going after Google and now Samsung.

 

[AusWolf]

I never buy games on mobile. What's the point in (pretending to be) playing on a touchscreen anyway?

 

[FoulOnWhite]

Not going to work............./end

 

[PSYCHOPATHiO]

I never buy games on mobile. What's the point in (pretending to be) playing on a touchscreen anyway?

agree 100%

 

[JIWIL]

Epic had their chance and blew it... first impressions mate, first impressions.

 

[Frick]

I never buy games on mobile. What's the point in (pretending to be) playing on a touchscreen anyway?

You can use the exact same argument for any way of playing games. FWIW Race for the Galaxy is definitely decent.

 

[PSYCHOPATHiO]

You can use the exact same argument for any way of playing games. FWIW Race for the Galaxy is definitely decent.

When you're hunched & eyes squint trying to focus on a tiny screen, I doubt I can call this a gaming experience.

 

[AusWolf]

You can use the exact same argument for any way of playing games.

Why would I, though? A keyboard and mouse is fine for 95% of games. Some driving sims are best with a steering wheel, yet some other games are okay with a controller. I do not know of a single game where blocking half of the screen with your fingers and having no tactile feedback works.

 

[Frick]

Why would I, though? A keyboard and mouse is fine for 95% of games. Some driving sims are best with a steering wheel, yet some other games are okay with a controller. I do not know of a single game where blocking half of the screen with your fingers and having no tactile feedback works.

Pixel Dungeon. Mini Metro. Race for the Galaxy (that works better on a tablet though). But above all ... I can play those games anywhere, and I can play them on a device I already have (a phone, any phone). A couple of games of RftG on the lunch break if I feel like it? Yes please. There's a reason why mobile gaming is bigger than PC and console gaming.

And I see a lot of stuff "I would never buy an app for a phone lol" and my question is, why not? If it's good, why not? This goes for games too, we're expected to pay for games in all other formats buy buying a PHONE GAME for like €5? Over my desecrated corpse! Then complain about all the ads everywhere.

 

[kawice]

What they need to do is to add "upgrading bundle / collection" feature.

It's been five freaking years in the making, and not added till this day.

Second thing is that they need to enforce support on Devs for their game store pages. Devs often just put initial version for store page, then grab money from Epic's early access or exclusive deal and then go to Steam. Then only focus on supporting Steam store page. This needs to stop. You sell on three or four store fronts, you support and update them all. Easy as that.

Epic needs to stop forcing community and social garbage in their client. One of the things I liked in EGS client was that it was just a game client; no social stuff, memes, trolls, spoilers, rants, haters, and what not from glorified Steam Community Hubs or from internet in general.

Want to add it? Fine, make it optional to display in client settings.

Trello

Organize anything, together. Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes your projects into boards. In one glance, know what's being worked on, who's working on what, and where something is in a process.

trello.com

 

[AusWolf]

Pixel Dungeon. Mini Metro. Race for the Galaxy (that works better on a tablet though). But above all ... I can play those games anywhere, and I can play them on a device I already have (a phone, any phone). A couple of games of RftG on the lunch break if I feel like it? Yes please. There's a reason why mobile gaming is bigger than PC and console gaming.

I guess it just shows how different we all are. Personally, I think gaming = escapism, therefore, it is best done alone, in one's game room / living room, etc. on a big screen, when immersion is at its best. Having a quick session at work on a break seems pretty pointless to me. I'm not saying that it's wrong, just that I don't see the point.

And I see a lot of stuff "I would never buy an app for a phone lol" and my question is, why not? If it's good, why not?

Because I have no need for it. Everything I want from a phone (staying in touch, banking, shopping, holidays, etc.) can be done via free apps. For anything more complex, I've got a desktop PC.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

What Tim Sweeny has continuously failed to understand is that STEAM is more than just a shop where you can buy games. Its an entire platform where you can discover games based on your library that you might enjoy. There is also the community element to it where people can post guides, mods and fan art for games they like.

Until EGS can match or offer a better platform/service then what steam offers. EGS will continue to languish in the shadows and lose money while steam continues to grow.

 

[AusWolf]

What Tim Sweeny has continuously failed to understand is that STEAM is more than just a shop where you can buy games. Its an entire platform where you can discover games based on your library that you might enjoy. There is also the community element to it where people can post guides, mods and fan art for games they like.

Until EGS can match or offer a better platform/service then what steam offers. EGS will continue to languish in the shadows and lose money while steam continues to grow.

Not to mention the million and one extra features Steam has. For example, Steam Deck support, multiplayer servers, cloud saves, library sharing, all the family stuff, etc. Steam is so much more than just a shop!

 

[Ravenas]

Because it’s working so well against Steam! Tim Sweeny is definition of the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Not going to work............./end

Has already worked for me! My opinion of Steam has never been lower than it is right now, and I don't have any particular love for Google Play nor Apple's App Store. Then again, I've always been more or less on Tim's side with this one. I am not fond of hegemonies, and the EGS has done well with the "less is more" philosophy, it brings me back to the days Steam wasn't bloated garbage and that games were cheap and readily available. The weekly giveaways are nice, even though I probably won't ever play most of them - it's not like I will play most of the shovelware on my Steam account either, and I paid for all of that.

Not to mention the million and one extra features Steam has. For example, Steam Deck support, multiplayer servers, cloud saves, library sharing, all the family stuff, etc. Steam is so much more than just a shop!

I like how "Steam Deck support" is now considered a platform advantage, yet years later (I wishlisted it August 10 2021)

 

[Frick]

When you're hunched & eyes squint trying to focus on a tiny screen, I doubt I can call this a gaming experience.

I mean sure if that's how you use your phone, but I don't. Does a Steam Deck provide a gaming experience, or the Nintendo Switch?

 

[AusWolf]

I mean sure if that's how you use your phone, but I don't. Does a Steam Deck provide a gaming experience, or the Nintendo Switch?

On those, at least you're not covering half of the screen with your fingers, trying to tap on something you can't even feel.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

As a 40yo guy I really have a mental block against phone gaming. I acknowledge this might not exist for other people my age or people younger than me.

On one hand I grew up on consoles and PC gaming, so that is my baseline.

Additionally, gaming is a thing I feel like I have to dedicate time for. I don't feel like I can just flop on the couch and fire up a game on my phone, it needs to be in a designated "gaming space" which is either in front of the spare TV or in front of my PC. Otherwise too many distractions, ill defined start and stop times, etc.

Lastly gaming is the bulk of my TV time, so I really like to play either graphically impressive single player narrative games or couch-co-op games with the kids, neither of which I believe is conducive to playing on a mobile phone for short bursts of time.

That said, my phone is sort of "virgin territory" for a game store. On PC I've settled on Steam or bust. I don't really care what EGS does there, I'm not even looking at it at this point.

On the phone, I don't have the same kind of loyalty to the Play store. Unlike Steam, it really is "just a store" to me, so in theory I am open to alternatives. The issue as defined above is I just don't see a phone as a gaming device the way I do a console or PC.

 

[KLiKzg]

Nice!

 

[kapone32]

There is someone in my household that plays mobile Games and Android Games. That is my Mother In Law.

Has already worked for me! My opinion of Steam has never been lower than it is right now, and I don't have any particular love for Google Play nor Apple's App Store. Then again, I've always been more or less on Tim's side with this one. I am not fond of hegemonies, and the EGS has done well with the "less is more" philosophy, it brings me back to the days Steam wasn't bloated garbage and that games were cheap and readily available. The weekly giveaways are nice, even though I probably won't ever play most of them - it's not like I will play most of the shovelware on my Steam account either, and I paid for all of that.



I like how "Steam Deck support" is now considered a platform advantage, yet years later (I wishlisted it August 10 2021)

View attachment 366139

Is that Steam's fault or Sega? You live in Brazil.

 

[Dr. Dro]

There is someone in my household that plays mobile Games and Android Games. That is my Mother In Law.


Is that Steam's fault or Sega? You live in Brazil.

Where did Sega come from here

If you're implying Brazilian market isn't large enough... you'd be dead wrong

 

[kapone32]

Where did Sega come from here

If you're implying Brazilian market isn't large enough... you'd be dead wrong

I guess you don't know the history of Video Games as well as I do. Sega, through a Company has exclusive rights to video Game consoles. When the Genesis was no more in North America, it was the rage in Brazil. Yes some of it is scale of economy. There is a documentary on Gaming in Cuba that is insane. There is some of the fact that at that time North America was still the leader in Consumer spending levels. A $300 Dreamcast would have been over $600 + import penalties. In 1998 the Interest rate in Brazil was 40%. What was the name of the company that marketed the Genesis again. Did not the Genesis sell in Brazil well into the 2010s?

 

[redeye]

Where did Sega come from here

If you're implying Brazilian market isn't large enough... you'd be dead wrong

but those import duties/ taxes are “killer”… (for stuff not made in Brazil) how much more is the ps5.., so much people stay on ps4!

 

[AusWolf]

As a 40yo guy I really have a mental block against phone gaming. I acknowledge this might not exist for other people my age or people younger than me.

On one hand I grew up on consoles and PC gaming, so that is my baseline.

Additionally, gaming is a thing I feel like I have to dedicate time for. I don't feel like I can just flop on the couch and fire up a game on my phone, it needs to be in a designated "gaming space" which is either in front of the spare TV or in front of my PC. Otherwise too many distractions, ill defined start and stop times, etc.

Lastly gaming is the bulk of my TV time, so I really like to play either graphically impressive single player narrative games or couch-co-op games with the kids, neither of which I believe is conducive to playing on a mobile phone for short bursts of time.

That said, my phone is sort of "virgin territory" for a game store. On PC I've settled on Steam or bust. I don't really care what EGS does there, I'm not even looking at it at this point.

On the phone, I don't have the same kind of loyalty to the Play store. Unlike Steam, it really is "just a store" to me, so in theory I am open to alternatives. The issue as defined above is I just don't see a phone as a gaming device the way I do a console or PC.

I'm only in my mid-30s, but I feel exactly the same as you. Gaming is escapism, gaming is immersion. Neither of which is achievable on a 5-7" touchscreen on my break at work.